CHAPTER XXIV

“It’s the gleam of the real metal in the
rock, sir—–­what’s what it is,”
gasped one of the miners, as he held up a lantern to
aid him in his quest.

It lay there, in streaks and rifts, a dull gleaming
here and there. To be sure, it was nothing at
all like a solid golden wall, but Tom Reade could
be contented with less than Golconda.

In spots the precious metal showed in darkish streaks,
instead of yellow. But these dark streaks showed
admixtures of silver.

“Run and get me a hammer, one of you,”
cried Tom, breathing fast.

When the miner returned with the chisel-nosed hammer
he found the young engineer eagerly exploring the
whole length of the new wall thus laid bare.

“I knew that a real vein lay here,” Tom
went on, as he took the hammer. “The only
trouble with us, men, was that we were working eight
or ten feet south of where the true vein lay.
Now, by the great Custer, we’ve hit it—–­thanks
to the enemy!”

Eagerly Tom chipped off specimens of the rich gold
and silver bearing rock. He loaded down two
men and carried more himself. Every piece of
rock was a specimen of rich ore.

Up the shaft they went, emerging into the sunlight.

“I’d like to know who the scamps were
that fired the blasts in the mine,” Tom muttered
joyously. “I’d like to reward them.”

“Party coming, sir,” reported a miner,
pointing to the southward.

Over the snow came a cutter, drawn by two horses,
slipping fast over the snow. From one side of
the cutter a pair of skis hung outward.

“That’s Jim Ferrers and the doctor from
Dugout,” Tom breathed. “But who can
the other lot of people be.”

A pung, drawn also by a pair of horses, contained
five men.

Jim was quickly on hand to explain matters.

“I’ve brought Dr. Scott. He’ll
have to see Hazelton quickly, and then get back to
Dugout,” Jim declared. “The doctor
is afraid the crust may melt, and then he’ll
be stalled here with his outfit.

“Those men over there?” inquired Reade,
as the pung stopped, and the five men got out “Two
of them look familiar to me.”

“I reckon,” nodded Jim Ferrers.
“They’re officers—–­all
of ’em. They’ve come over here to
hunt the rocks to the south of here. Up at the
jail the keepers worried out of Eb some information
about a cave where Dolph Gage hangs out. It seems
that Gage and his pals have been stealing supplies
at the Bright Hope Mine.”

Jim introduced Dr. Scott, who said:

“I must see my patient and be away in an hour.
I don’t want to get stalled here by a thaw.”